The telephone system is a vast network of interconnected components. The large number of components make the telephone network very complex to manage. In order to decrease the complexity of the network, to increase connection efficiency, and to improve customer service, a concept of operations known as flow-through is implemented by operators of major telecommunications networks, such as Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs).
Flow-through is an automated process for provisioning communications circuits to satisfy a customer service request. Such a process results in the computer-initiated connection of network elements based upon database entries. These entries or records are comprised of various fields that are utilized in the implementation of flow-through.
Flow-through operations are a virtual necessity for the efficient functioning of large telecommunications networks, such as those maintained by RBOCs. These networks can frequently require that a substantial number of circuits be established or disabled/removed within a short period of time. To implement such changes manually would be very costly in time, money and manpower.
If flow-through operations are disrupted, the consequences can be serious. Communications circuits may not be able to be established, and a time-consuming search must be made for the cause of the disruption of flow-through. In a conventional environment, such a search may require at least one system administrator to proofread volumes of data in search of erroneous entries to certain data fields. After locating an error, the system administrator must then manually edit the entry to comport with the required format for the data field. To ensure that multiple errors do not exist, though, the system administrator may continue to proofread until all data has been examined. This is a very inefficient method for ensuring flow-through operations. Such a conventional process is very time consuming for system administrators. As a result, customers may experience poor service, including longer wait periods for service establishment.
What is needed are methods and systems that overcome the disadvantages of conventional systems. Such methods and systems should provide additional advantages, including cost effectiveness, flexibility, and ease of implementation.